Wave of Emotions

"Let's give a big round of applause to our 2011 graduating class!" The crowd erupts as the principal concludes his remarks during the Fifth Grade Recognition Ceremony. I look at my wife and she looks at me as we both let out a sigh of relief that the year is over.  


If I was to convey my feelings towards this past school year, I would need to be hooked up to an oscilloscope to read my emotions. Ups and downs, climbing and sliding was the norm of fifth grade. With a little fact finding, and a lot of beta testing, our eyes began to see through the thickness and uncovered a few paths out into the clearing. Some of those paths tricked us into dead ends, while others just seemed to circle back into the rough. Now with the school year ending, a breather is warranted, a pause so to speak, and further discovery in order to burst through the pandemonium called sixth grade and while there are still many paths ahead, hopefully the path with the least bumps will get us to where we need to be. 


After the accelerated ceremony (as a threat of thunder and lightning fills the area), the graduating class make their way from the outdoor lawn to the high school gym for refreshments, high fives from classmates and photo-ops for family members. "We are so proud of all your very hard work this year." I say to my son. He smiles and tilts his head downward, knowing the ride has been rocky at best and the clearing is still far away...